A few days later.
After the banquet hosted by the count had ended, they returned once again to the Black Forest.
Chloe rushed at Jun. She was almost foaming at the mouth.
“You, you sold it to the count? The ancient book? Really?!”
However, Chloe didn’t seem upset but rather delighted.
The reason was that the count, who had bought the book, announced he would put it up for auction instead.
And not just any auction, but the one Chloe herself would be hosting!
Of course, this was one of the conditions Jun had set when selling the book to the count.
“An auction under Count Mordenain’s name! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!!”
So Chloe’s reaction wasn’t surprising in the least.
After all, one of her goals was to raise the name of her merchant guild by hosting an auction in her own name.
While Chloe was practically overjoyed, Jun cautiously asked her.
“But, are you okay with it?”
“Huh? Okay with what?”
“I mean about Aiden.”
Since Jun had sold the book without even discussing it with Chloe, he had no choice but to explain everything in detail.
In doing so, Aiden’s true identity had also been revealed.
But to Jun’s surprise, Chloe just shrugged without much reaction.
“Oh~ you meant that? It doesn’t really matter to me.”
“…Really?”
“Why? Is it because of my grandfather?”
“I had to consider the history of your merchant guild from my position.”
The reason Jun was worried about this was because the Gilenn merchant guild that Chloe was working for had political neutrality as its motto.
Wouldn’t it cause problems if it were revealed that they were supporting an abandoned prince?
Strictly speaking, the merchant guild wasn’t supporting Aiden but rather Jun, yet outsiders wouldn’t perceive it that way.
But to Jun’s surprise, Chloe looked at him as if she found him strange.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“No, I’m just confused. Did you really think Gilenn Merchant Guild wouldn’t know about that?”
“Huh?”
“Oh, I didn’t know he was from the imperial family, of course. But the people in my family do.”
When she said this, Chloe showed Jun a letter.
It had arrived a few days ago and was a document from her family detailing information about Aiden.
“This is….”
“When the imperial family moves, money moves, and when money moves, merchants move too. Naturally, our merchant guild knew to some extent. We even inquired directly with the imperial family.”
“Damn.”
Jun had gone as far as meeting with the count to get answers for Aiden, but the answer had been closer than he expected.
He felt a wave of emptiness creeping in, but the reward he had gone to collect provided some small comfort.
Of course, this is only possible because the Emperor is still alive.
With thoughts he couldn’t voice to anyone, Jun shifted his gaze toward Chloe.
Before he knew it, Chloe had already moved on to a different topic.
It didn’t seem like a bad idea to engage in some light conversation to clear his mind, so Jun started paying attention to her words.
“Anyway, that’s the biggest issue right now.”
“What issue?”
“We’re out of money.”
“…..”
Regret washed over him. He wished he hadn’t asked.
***
To put it simply, Jun and Chloe’s relationship was that of business partners.
Chloe used her various connections and influence to create opportunities for Jun to shine, and in return, Jun thrived in those stages. So he earned Chloe money.
Come to think of it, even receiving the [Growth Pill] was all thanks to her.
Had Chloe not introduced Jun to Ginovan, none of this would have come to pass.
As Chloe’s influence grew, the benefits naturally flowed back to Jun as well.
“Why are we out of money?”
Given all of that, it was only natural for Jun to be somewhat concerned about Chloe’s finances.
“When the goblin subjugation failed and everyone else lost money, you profited, and during the lord’s subjugation, you sold potions and other supplies at a high price. You must have made a decent profit from the raid too. And the auction house is opening soon, right? What about the dungeon bids?”
How could she still have no money?
If that were true, it would mean Chloe was lacking in money management skills.
“Hey!”
But Chloe looked at Jun as if it were unfair to accuse her of that.
“The money I made from the goblin subjugation was just pocket change! Do you think I only made money during the goblin lord battle? I funded all the soldiers’ equipment and potions out of my own pocket. The profit from the raid barely covered those losses. The auction house hasn’t even opened yet! And do you really think the dungeon profits have already piled up? Don’t forget the money I spent bidding on the dungeon ownership!”
“Hmm…”
“Ugh, fine, yes. Thanks to you, I’ve gained a lot in various ways. But if you’re asking if that means I’ve made material profit, the answer is no. Everything takes time.”
“Is there something urgent that you need money for?”
At Jun’s question, Chloe let out a shallow sigh and nodded.
“Everything else is fine, but the auction I mentioned earlier is the problem.”
The auction was a major event hosted by the merchant guild.
Many guilds poured a lot of effort into their auctions because of the reputation involved.
It was all about trust.
For example, if word spread that a famous noble participated in a guild’s auction, people would
begin to view that guild as one with strong ties to powerful nobles. This would increase its credibility.
Fortunately, Chloe had secured the connection she needed with the “famous noble” she had been after.
“It’s still not quite enough. Of course, the value of the ancient book you brought is incredibly high, but in the end, it’s just that one item.”
“So, you want to break away from the image of ‘This guild only has this one thing,’ right?”
“That’s right!”
That’s why Chloe wanted to bring in a wider variety of items to put up for auction.
“Luckily, the issue of product variety will be somewhat solved thanks to Count Mordenain.”
“What? Then isn’t it all settled?”
“Listen till the end!”
Count Mordenain had entrusted items to the auction hosted by the Gilenn Merchant Guild.
That reason alone would make various people want to list their items in this auction.
Since Count Mordenain’s name was attached, and the importance of the ancient book was well-known, prominent figures would surely gather.
They might even receive good prices if they placed their auction items there.
That was all well and good, but Chloe also wanted to display items that were directly listed by the Gilenn Merchant Guild, under her own name.
“That’s the only way we can show that our guild’s auction has its own competitive edge. But we don’t have the money to buy items like that.”
“Items worthy of being in the auction, huh…”
At this, Jun began to think seriously.
As a brief silence fell between them, Chloe’s eyes sparkled.
Whenever Jun fell into deep thought like that, he always came up with a good solution.
“Looks like there’s nothing.”
“…What?”
“Oh, no, Why are you looking at me like that? If someone saw you, they’d think the world was falling apart.”
Feeling betrayed by Jun, whom she had trusted, Chloe’s face instantly darkened.
A flustered Jun continued speaking.
“The best I could find would be a few relics from dungeons. But those don’t sell for much. Potion recipes and things like that are already widespread…”
“Huh?”
“Huh?”
“What?”
“What?”
“What did you just say!”
“Whoa, you startled me. I said relics or potion recipes…”
“Relics! Potion recipes! No, forget the relics! There are already too many things like pottery. But potion recipes! You said potion recipes?”
“Uh, yeah…”
Jun nodded with a hesitant expression in response to Chloe’s reaction.
It made sense since the potion recipes Jun could get from the dungeons he had access to were all low-grade, and those were already widely available on the market.
To make any significant money, you’d need something from at least the third floor or higher.
Even in the game, those recipes sold for just 1 gold. Or they’d end up stashed in storage.
There were future ways to expand the business by developing them directly, but most low-grade potion recipes never fetched a price worth the investment.
However, Jun was completely mistaken.
“Haah… You’re incredibly smart in some ways, but in others, you’re hopelessly ignorant.”
“Ignorant?”
Jun, who hadn’t been called ignorant at least since becoming a mage, was taken aback. Chloe, on the other hand, seemed exasperated as she explained.
“Potion recipes are like patents.”
“Patents? You mean in a business sense?”
“Mhmm.”
“Are you calling me ignorant just because I’m not an expert in your field?”
“Just listen.”
“Okay.”
Since Jun would eventually need to be involved in business himself, he quietly listened to Chloe.
“And the patent starts by submitting the related potion recipe to the imperial court. But that’s just the beginning. A potion recipe can also create loopholes in other patents.”
“What do you mean?”
“For example, let’s say a magic tower acquires a potion recipe and begins research. Do you think the mages will just follow the recipe as is? No way. Of course, they’ll research other potions with similar ingredients and effects, and they’ll file patents for those as well.”
However, if another magic tower obtains a similar potion recipe, the story changes.
“The tower that acquired the recipe will now have a way to challenge the other tower’s patents.”
– This recipe has existed since ancient times, so do you really have the right to call it your patent? It already existed in the world!
– And we use a different ratio of ingredients in our potion, a different ratio! Can you still call it the same potion? Huh? The effects are different!
– So, this has nothing to do with your patent!
…They gain a justification to make those claims.
“It’s used as a way to expand their own territory, little by little.”
That’s why when these potion recipes go up in the auction house, countless magic towers rush in and start competing for the right to make a claim.
“Of course, the price isn’t anything outrageous, but… at the very least, it can give the magic tower an image of being ‘an auction house worth keeping an eye on’.”
“This industry is more cutthroat than I thought.”
“Of course. It’s an economic system built over hundreds of years. And more importantly, the potion industry is a major pillar of the Blackout’s industrial structure.”
So, if Chloe built connections now, it would bring her many advantages when she eventually entered the potion business.
“So, you have potion recipes?”
“Yeah, I know a few places.”
“Hoo… Alright then. I’ll put in a request related to that. It’ll be your first official request, and it’s in the name of the Gilenn Merchant Guild.”
“Oh.”
Jun was just as pleased as Chloe, as the reputation of his mercenary group was important to him too.
“Get as many potion recipes as you can.”
***
“A request.”
“A request, senior?”
Aiden, who had been resting for a few days, smiled sheepishly after hearing Jun’s explanation.
“Finally, an official request!”
“That’s right.”
Until now, Jun had been the one seeking out clients, but this time, it was a formal request from a client (though it was just Chloe).
“With the Gilenn Merchant Guild’s reputation, our mercenary group’s name will rise significantly too.”
“That’s right. So with that in mind, we’re going into training starting now.”
“Training, you say?”
“Yeah, it’s a good chance to refine our strength. You got a [Skill Book], right?”
“Oh… That’s right!”
Aiden nodded energetically as if a thought had suddenly occurred to him.
Like a retriever that just got a treat.
If he had a tail, it would probably be wagging like a propeller right now.
Anyway, just as Jun had received the [Growth Pill], Aiden had been rewarded with a [Skill Book] from the Founder City.
The name of the skill was something both of them were familiar with.
“I never imagined I’d get the [Charge] skill like this.”
It was the same skill the golem they had faced in the Black Forest had used, [Charge].
With the added trait of Armor Crush, it was a skill that suited Aiden perfectly for frontline combat.
Unlike his passive skill [Beast Body], this was the first active skill Aiden had obtained.
He was so eager to try it out that he could hardly wait another day.
“I should get ready too, especially to test out the new skill.”
Jun said this as he thought about the [Growth Pill] in his possession.
***
“Like I thought, this is the only skill for it.”
The [Growth Pill], known in the community as a skill growth item, allowed a single skill to be developed.
Though Jun had learned various skills, he had recently come to accept his own limits.
I’m not someone who’s studied magic since childhood.
His experience from living on Earth allowed for creative application, but his expertise remained shallow at best.
The only reason he had been able to cast up to third-circle magic was thanks to the [Basic Magic Talent] skill.
But now, it was time for him to knock on the door of the fourth circle.
The [Basic Magic Talent] skill had its limits.
When it came to magical knowledge, Jun was little more than average.
Even if he learned a new spell, who knew how long it would take him to put it to practical use.
They say it can take anywhere from one to five years for a third-circle mage to reach the fourth circle.
In this field, talent played a significant role, and there was no getting around that.
It had already been over a year since Jun arrived in this world.
To keep advancing, reaching the next circle is important.
The issue of reputation, which had concerned Jun the most in the beginning, had been mostly resolved.
Thanks to the hidden stage in this recent raid, his name had started to spread at the very least.
Now it was time to strengthen his own power.
So, I’ll use the [Growth Pill] on [Basic Magic Talent].
Holding the brilliantly shining pill in his hand, Jun brought it to his mouth.
The [Growth Pill] responded to his will and began to glow.
That light seeped directly into him.
“Hmm…”
There wasn’t any particular taste.
The light merely swirled around his heart and then naturally made its way to his head.
What a strange feeling.
There was no physical sensation at all, but he could distinctly feel something moving throughout his body.
And when it was fully absorbed into him—
Flash—!
For a brief moment, the five-colored light filled the room from Jun’s body, only to vanish in the blink of an eye.
If this were a game.
-[Basic Magic Talent] skill has grown into [Intermediate Magic Talent] skill!
A message like that would have appeared.
But in reality, there was no such thing.
However, changes were steadily happening in places unseen.
“……!!”
It was a kind of realization.
It wasn’t about creating something out of nothing.
The magical knowledge he originally had was being broken down and reassembled in his mind.
A phenomenon occurring without Jun’s consent.
Yet he could understand why it was happening.
The level of my knowledge about magic is changing.
His common sense was being forcibly changed.
For example, take the concept of numbers.
The number 1 is a small number.
It’s a natural idea.
But what exactly does that 1 represent?
A tiny speck of dust invisible to the eye? Or perhaps a blade of grass or a small stone?
Or could it be a stray dog passing by? Or a person?
It could even refer to a village with dozens of people, or perhaps a city several times larger than that, and maybe even an entire country.
Is that the end?
No.
It could extend further to encompass an entire continent, a planet, and even a solar system, or perhaps an entire galaxy.
The number 1.
The number still remained 1.
However, what that number represented grew infinitely larger.
Until now, for Jun, the number 1 had been nothing more than a simple unit.
But the moment he reached [Intermediate Magic Talent], the number 1 could no longer be dismissed as “just one”.
His perspective on the magical knowledge he possessed had completely changed.
And yet, Jun didn’t find it uncomfortable or strange.
Because that concept had already existed somewhere in the back of his mind.
He just hadn’t thought to apply it to magic.
Or rather, he had used it several times. But he hadn’t been able to use it for every spell as naturally as breathing.
What had once been a moment of inspiration now became the foundation.
On the surface, nothing seemed to have changed.
But at this moment.
Jun’s understanding of magic transformed. Like a common person who had only looked at the sky suddenly realizing the true nature of the stars scattered across the night sky.
He had come to understand how vast the world truly was.
“Phew…”
Just as Jun was about to organize his newfound realization—
“…Ugh?!”
The transformation wasn’t over yet.
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